For Sun & Swim: Rebecca’s Swimwear Top Tutorial

Feminine swimwear is one of the most important packing items for the ladies when a family is going on a vacation near the water. It will be up to your family to determine what is modest for you. But, since we found some things that we love, we are going to share them with you. Maybe they’ll even give you some ideas!

Last September, our family traveled out to Maryland and Pennsylvania for the HSLDA National Conference and a visit with my brother. We enjoyed spending time on the Chesapeake Bay at his cottage. Activities included tubing, jet skiing, and cruising the Chesapeake surrounds in sturdy and stalwart Bumps.

Shannon (L.) is making a splash with this very cute nautical swimwear of her own creation. For years now, she has made an impact on my daughter’s taste by sharing her creative sewing skills and ideas on feminine dressing.

Like Shannon, you can pair your swim top with board shorts or capris. My daughter chose to make her own skirt with fitted shorts underneath because she wanted the skirt in navy with a ruffle. Maybe she’ll post a tutorial on that later.

Inspired by Shannon’s swim top, my daughter found some navy and white striped swim fabric, and she made her own pattern and swim top. It was really simple to make. She shares the instructions so we can make one, too! (you can also do this with no ruching for a quick-dry, plain swim top)

Ruched Adult Swimwear Top Tutorial

1.) Choose a high quality swimwear fabric. I recommend the Fabric Fairy for the most beautiful and classy swimwear fabrics.

She chose the striped fabric to be the top. One (1) yard should be enough for your top.

2.) Fold your swimwear fabric, with wrong sides together. Make a big fold of fabric near the bottom of the fabric, adding a total of 18″ inches (9″ each side of the fold). This does not have to be exact, so don’t stress! The extra fabric becomes the ruching later on. (Do not add the additional 18″ if you don’t want ruching.)

2.) Fold your fabric, with wrong sides together. Make a big fold of fabric near the bottom of the fabric, adding a total of 18″ inches (9″ each side of the fold). This does not have to be exact, so don’t stress! The extra fabric becomes the ruching later on. (Do not add the additional 18″ if you don’t want ruching.)

3.) Lay your favorite tank top on your swimwear fabric. Put the hem of the tank at the bottom of the fabric.

You will not need to hem your top as swim fabric does not fray and makes a perfect edge when cut. (Update 9-2017: after 3 seasons of light to moderate wear, this top still looks great and has not faded).

Make sure that any print or stripes are laying correctly.

4.) Take out your pincushion and mark the fabric with your pins, outlining the tank. For the sides, pin 1/2″ from the edge of the tank (this extra fabric becomes your seam allowance).

At the top, design with your pins how you would like your cap sleeves to look. You can go sleeveless or halfway between cap sleeve and sleeveless.

This is where you get to put on your ‘fashion-designer’ hat.

Here is the finished product to peek at if you need any help with this step. You can see that there is NO hemming AT ALL!

5.) Now, go ahead and cut the top out of the fabric, cutting along your pin lines. Along the torso, the line may be uneven due to the extra 18″ of fabric you added. Trim it to make the edges even and symmetrical. You can cut your neckline following exactly your tank top if you like that neckline, or you can make a boat neck like I did by making it wider in the shoulders and higher along your collarbone. This is up to you!

We recommend to mark exactly what you want with pins before you cut!

6.) Turn your fabric so that the right sides are together. Now stitch 4 seams: 2 shoulder seams and 2 side seams. Turn back right side out and try on. If you need to do any alterations, now is the time to do it. The top will be w.a.a.a.a.y to long on you at this point if you are ruching, but don’t worry- it’s almost done!

7.) Cut a piece of elastic as long as you want the torso of your top to be.

a. Pin both ends of the elastic to the fabric, one underneath the arm, and the other at the hem of the garment, which will end up at your hips.

b. Starting under one arm, on the inside of the fabric, hold the piece of elastic onto the fabric and stretch it without stretching your fabric. Pull to make the elastic run the entire length of the side seam by stretching it. If necessary, pin in several places so you know how much you need to stretch.

c. Place on your machine and put the machine needle in the elastic and fabric before you begin to hold it while you stretch the elastic.

d. Stitch the stretched elastic to the un-stretchedfabric along the inside seam. This will ruche your fabric along the sides. Do this for both sides.

This is what it should look like on the inside:

And this is what it should look like on the outside:

It should be ready for wearing now!! Let us know if you decide to make one and how it turns out. If you have any tips, please let us know those as well so we can make this post even better for you!

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Comments

Hi Jacqueline! This is a good alternative for modest girls to wear when swimming. Isn’t it wonderful that we’ve come far enough in our Christian walk to realize that public bathing is just that, “public bathing” and that we need to keep our clothes on to remain modest. Years ago I had a new friend who’d never heard it put like that, but when she heard it she immediately threw away her worldly swimsuit and stopped going to the public pool. Thank the Lord for modesty and sewing machines. 🙂

Ooh, that’s beautiful! Makes me want to get away from the computer and help me 10 year old daughter learn to makes these for herself. Thanks for the fabric store suggestions, too.
Followed Raising Soldiers 4 Christ over. 🙂

Cheri,
You can help her make little dollies clothes (even though she’s 10) or just supply her with some pretty (but not expensive) fabrics and ask her what she would like to make – really simple things. We took a calico rectangle piece of fabric twice as long as the doll was tall, cut out a small neck hole right in the middle and put that over dollies head and belted the whole flowing thing in place (no side seams). I imagine that she’ll never forget it your being there and oohing and aahing 🙂 I just remembered this: we started with a doll pillowcase, sheet, and “quilt”. The pillowcase was just straight stiches on 3 sides and the red checked sheet was not hemmed but cut out with pinking sheers. The quilt was 2 complimentary fabrics with a thin sheet of batting inside sewn on 3 sides, then turned right side out and sticthed on the open end. Not a great job, but so much FUN together! We still have them in her memory box. 🙂
Blessings!

Cheri, I tried to comment on your blog, but was unable to! Your posts are fabulous!! I wish I had known about this when our children were in our homeschool!! I am blessed and impressed so much that our Almighty Lord communicated these things to the writers of the Bible so very long ago!! Powerful proofs of His Godhead and power (Romans 1: 19-21?)
Thank you so much!

Sandy, she makes me feel like a piker! Haha! I remember the first things she made for her dollies 🙂 I made a comment that she’d never make a good seamstress unless she paid a bit more attention to detail! I wish I had zipped my lips! 🙂
I’ll tell you paid her that high compliment!
Blessings!

Hi Jackie,
I have a question. On your old website u used to have a few websites advertised that sell modest clothing. I’m not sure what the particular one was called that I’m looking for but I know they sold cute little girl t shirts. Would u be able to help me with this. I can’t seem to find the name on your new website. Thanks in advance. Aleda

Hi, Aleda,
I am sorry I am so slow to reply, friend! I do know of The Modest Mom blog: http://www.themodestmomblog.com/ I am not sure about the little girls tees, but they may have some leads for you. I hope that helps 🙂
Blessings!

I love this! This is so simple. I got a swimsuit pattern from Fresh Modesty a few years ago and have made myself two from it, another for my sister, and this year I am making one for a friend. Just slightly cheaper than buying a pre-made. I love how sime this is, though…you coukd whip one up in a coupke hours or less. Thanks for sharing =)

I’m hoping that we see a swing back to more decency! I know it won’t be a wholesale change back to more modesty, but maybe in some circles…let’s make it ‘COOL’ to care for your brothers and personal privacy! Sweet Charlotte, I’m hoping you have a terrific week 🙂

Thank you for the tutorial. I am going to pin it to my pinterest board. As my daughter is getting older, it’s always good to have some ideas for what to do once she can’t fit into the more modest little girl swimmers ( with shorts over) anymore!
Have a lovely day
Renata:)

So cute! and easy too — pinning this for reference later this summer. I think this is something my 13 year old daughter will really like and could sew up herself. Thank you for the wonderful step by step tutorial. And thank you to your lovely daughter for sharing with us!

Thank you so much for the info and the tutorial! I just ordered fabric from the Fabric Fairy to make my own skirt! I am so thankful for that recommendation! I may have to make my own top as well! I have been trying to fine a modest top to wear to the beach ans around the yard while I am playing with my kids and I have not been able to find anything until now! I am a mom with two little kids and my little girl loves to play in her little pool and she always asks me: “You suit mom? you suit?” I never have the heart to tell her that I feel too self-conscious about myself to even put a suit on. The Lord truly provides! And your shirt tutorial looks super easy! Once again thank you thank you thank you!!
Jodi 🙂

That is so exciting, Jodi! Yes the Lord does provide and hopefully now you CAN get into the water with your little ones 🙂 I think many of us feel the same way about bathing suits 🙂
Blessings to you all, dear Mama.

I love the ruched swim top! My biggest problem with homemade swimsuits, though, is that it’s really difficult to sew in adequate chest support. It might be worth buying a bikini top to wear underneath for those of us who aren’t prepubescent anymore 🙂 since a regular bra wouldn’t dry very well.

What a great post! We’ve been looking for good, modest options for swimsuits since summer is fast approaching again! Lands End used to have modest stuff, but they’ve sadly decreased over the past years and don’t have much at all anymore!

My main issue, which I’m wondering if you or your readers have solutions for, is what to wear under the top; do you wear regular underclothes? I’ve thought of using just regular rash-guard shirts but continually run into that issue.

My 15 year old daughter bought a top for swimming this year from Land’s End . It’s blend of navy and green . Looks like a regular T-shirt but made of swim material . She is excited to wear it with board shorts when swimming . I am going to show her this Post so she can see other girls that wear similar things to the beach . Very encouraging Post .
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU LINK UP THIS POST TO WEARING WITH WISDOM LINK-UP PARTY ON KINGMAKERBLOG.COM . The link-up party is every Wednesday . Hope you will join us and encourage others with your great and modest style !!!
Thank you , Leticia

I appreciate it, Leticia! If you have an email to remind bloggers to link up, could you include my email in your list? I may not remember otherwise as I am having time management issues. Thanks for the encouragement!

Thank you, Leticia! You are welcome, dear one. I don’t have much posted in the way of modesty and clothing posts, but will share as I can 🙂
Question: I can’t find a place to comment on your blog, so I will ask here. Is it OK to share other things not clothing related? Just wondering 🙂

I am featuring this Post on Wearing with Wisdom #106 .
It will be visible tonight at 7pm MST on KingMakerBlog.
Thank you for sharing it a few weeks ago !
Hope you will link-up another modesty Post there as well 🙂
-leticia

I love this! Love that she is yealding to the Holy Spirit and not the fashion of this world, she desires to be modest. It is so important! I pinned this article last year and am just now getting around to making a whole bunch of modest swimwear for the family. Thanks to Fabric Fairy with all the selections (which makes it really hard for a person who already has a hard time to pick things out haha) I will be making some men’s swim pants as well as 2 long ladies swim skirts and a top (florida is only a month away too eek!). I have a few questions about what your daughter made and the fabric. Did she do a lining to either the top or skirt? Does the fabric cling to the body when wet? Also, does the white stripts become see-through? Does her skirt float up when in the water? DId she put leggings under it? (I think she just needs to do a post for her skirt too haha) Thank you for your help and may the Lord bless you and your daughters.

Oh, one last question, can you see her undergarment on top thru the white (wet/dry)? What does she wear with it? These questions are actually helping me to narrow down fabric for the top! (you are more than welcome to email me if it’s easier) Lord bless you!

Hi, Lindsay,
No you cannot see anything underneath.. The fabric is fairly heavy weight, but totally quick-dry bathing suit fabric. Also, the stripes prevent that. I think she uses a swim bra under there but am not sure of the mfr. name.
I hope that helps 🙂
God bless you!

Thank you Lindsay! Let me see if I can answer your questions 😀 :
Did she do a lining to either the top or skirt? No lining needed.
Does the fabric cling to the body when wet? Not clingy, but it is already fairly form fitting.
Also, does the white stripes become see-through? Not at all. The busyness obliterates any of that…
Does her skirt float up when in the water? Yes, slightly.
DId she put leggings under it? Yes, they are to about 5 inches over the knee and do not ride up.

I hope that helps, dear mama! Have fun choosing fabric, and may the Lord bless you on your trip and be safe!

Sharon, the instructions are only for the top only. I am sorry. She has not done instructions for her Swim skirt, but it is just an a-line of your desired length with a tiny ruched ruffle 3-4′ up from the hem. She is wearing quick dry swim shorts beneath. I hope that helps 🙂

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[…] This is the swimsuit I found at the Dollar Store and modified last year to make it more modest. Ruched Swimwear Top Tutorial A Swimsuit Makeover Easy Swimsuit Refashion (adding ruffles to fill in the neckline) […]

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